


Nightmares Escaped My Head

by MiniNephthys



Category: Persona 2
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-29
Updated: 2012-07-29
Packaged: 2017-11-11 00:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/472582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The process of turning into a Joker: Katsuya Suou.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares Escaped My Head

Katsuya did not put much stock in wild rumors, nor in the strange and supernatural. However, when assigned to a case that was in large part based on wild rumors and in small part based on actual deaths, he had to make some allowances.

...It had been an accident. He had been trying to call a deli that was only a few numbers off from his own number. He was tired after a long day at work; his fingers slipped.

(Was that what he wanted to tell himself?)

The voice at the other end of the line was not the friendly deli employee. The voice had a harsh bite to it, and what it said was, "Who do you want me to kill?"

Startled, Katsuya nearly dropped his phone. "The Joker-"

"That's a nice try, but I won't kill myself." A hum that might have been disguising laughter. "Come on, don't make me wait too long. There must be someone you want dead..."

No, there was no one at all that Katsuya would stoop so low for. No one-

A name briefly flashed in his mind. A punk that had been giving Tatsuya trouble lately. No one important. No one worth more than a short stay in juvenile. Just enough of a problem for his brother that the name had stuck in his mind.

He barely mouthed the name-

(That's how he remembered it. He could have screamed it for all the difference it made.)

-and the Joker cackled before hanging up.

He hadn't heard anything because Katsuya hadn't said anything. Katsuya hadn't said anything because Katsuya would not kill a kid just to protect his brother. Therefore the Joker could not possibly have a target, because Katsuya could not have possibly given him one.

(Because, because, what useless excuses.)

The next day that annoying kid was killed. Of course he heard about it. He was assigned to the case. His throat went dry as he listened, and he tried to say something about working even harder to catch the killer, but merely nodded dumbly.

It never leaves his mind. Sometimes he tries to pass it off as a coincidence, but not a day goes by where he doesn't think about it.

(Corrupt at heart just like his father.)

And when he hears that those who've used the Joker's services will become Jokers...

(He doesn't believe in rumors, but rumors will find him and catch him no matter how hard he tries.)

He can't look Maya in the eye anymore, and he excuses himself to be alone as much as possible.

He won't become a Joker. He'd be a danger to those around him and he'd admit that he committed such a heinous act in the first place.

(And which of these is more important? Impressing a woman with his moral integrity? Or stopping his downward slide?)

There is no downward slide to speak of. It was an accident (an accident, an accident he says) and nothing is wrong now. It's just a rumor.

(Was it so bad?)

And rumors won't affect-

(Was it so bad to get someone out of Tatsuya's way? Wouldn't he have done the same if there were a bigger threat? Better to nip the problem in the bud.)

-won't affect his judgment-

(Some accidents are fortuitous. Some morals can be tossed aside.)

-in the slightest-

(Amidst all the horror when he heard that the boy was dead he had a twinge of pride. He helped his brother. Tatsuya should _thank_ him.)

Tatsuya will hate him when he finds out.

(Then let him be ungrateful for what Katsuya did for him. It's not a change. Katsuya has been like this all along.)

Katsuya lifts his hand to his face and feels that he's grinning.

(All along.)


End file.
